Intermittent feed mechanism for combustion chambers



l thereof.

. vkPatented Sept. A19, 1950i INTERMITTENT FEED MECHANISM FOR COMBUSTIONCHAMBERS Robert H. Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis,

Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Worcester, Mass., assignor ofone-half to The Daniel .and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York `Application November 1, 1947, Serial No.783,595

3 Claims. `(Cl. 60-46) l.

This invention relates to combustion apparatus in which intermittentfeed is provided for two combustion liquids, as gasoline and liquidoxygen and is a continuation in part of prior Goddard application SerialNo, 522,101 led February 12, 1944, and relates to divisional subjectmatter In such apparatus, as shown for example in the prior GoddardPatent #2,409,036, successive small amounts of two different combustionliquids are fed to a combustion chamber and are successively detonated.This produces a rapid succession of relatively small explosions whichsimulate continuous combustion but with avoidance of dangerous andviolent explosions.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide improvedand simplified mechanism for effecting such intermittent feed and foralternately introducing portions of a neutral liquid. A further objectis to provide a mixing chamber in which the combustion liquidsmay beeffectively intermingled in small quantities and between interposedportions of a neutral liquid.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims. v

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation showing the improved constructionbut with the motor drive shaft broken away for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional plan view of a rotatingvalve and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of said rotating valve and its supportingbearings; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view to be described.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the upper portion of a combustion chamber Cis provided with a tubular extension I0, to the upper end of whichsupply pipes I2, I4 and I6 are connected. The pipe I2 may supplygasoline, the pipe I4 may supply liquid oxygen, and the pipe I6 maysupply water.

The inner ends of the pipes I2, I4 and I 5 `are closed by a conicalpartition having an upper port opening out of the pipe I2, anintermediate port 26 opening out of the pipe I4, and a lower port 21opening out of the pipe I6.

A conical valve member 30 is supported in upper and lower bearings 3|and 32 and rotates within the conical partition 20. 'I'he lower bearing32 is preferably supported on a plurality of radial arms 33 (Fig. 3).

The valve member 30 is hollow and is provided with an upper annularseries of ports 35, an

intermediate series 36 and a lower series 31. The ports and36 arepreferably disposed in diametrically opposite aligned pairs as shown inFig. 3, and the ports 31 are diametrically disposed and alternate withthe pairs of ports 35 and 36. The valve member 30 may be rotated atrelatively high speed in any convenient manner as by a motor M.

The partition ports 25, 26 and 21 and the valve ports 35, 3 6 and 31 areso disposed and related that, as the valve member 30 rotates, thepartltion ports 25 and 26 for gasoline and liquid oxygen willbesimultaneously uncovered, while at the same time the port 21 for waterwill be closed.

Each such injection of portions of the two combustion liquids isimmediately followed by the injection of a portion of water or otherneutral liquid through the partition port 21 and one of the valve ports31, the port 21 being uncovered as the ports 25 and 26 are closed byfurther rotation of the valve member 30. A portion of water is thusinterposed between each two successive charges of the combustionliquids.

vThe spaces containing combustion liquids are indicated by horizontallining at A in Fig. l and the spaces containing the neutral liquid areindicated by vertical lining at B.

Successive charges of combustion liquids are thus separated from eachother by interposed portions of neutral liquid as the charges passdownward along the tubular extension I0 to the combustion chamber C,where they are then ignited or detonated by the residual heat of thecombustion chamber.

AIf the ports in the rotating valve member 30a -bustion chambercomprising a, tubular premlxing extension `of said combustion chamber atthe `lar extension, a rotated hollow valve member said valve member touncover the openings of said third row alternately with the openings ofsaid first two rows, thereby admitting a small portion of said neutralliquid to said premixing extension between each two successiveadmissions of combustion liquids from said first two rows of valveopenings.

2. Combustion apparatus comprising a xed combustion chamber, means tosupply combustible,.`oxidizing and inert liquids thereto, a hollowconicalvalve member controlling the ow of all of said liquids, and meansto continuously rotate said valve to periodically interrupt the flow ofthe ycombustible and oxidizing liquids and to simultaneously provideflow of the inert liquid through said valve.

3. Combustion apparatus comprising a, xed combustion chamber, means tosupply combustible, oxidizing and inert liquids thereto, and a hollowconical valve member controlling the ow of all of said liquids, and saidconical valve member having ports with inwardly offset edge portions,whereby the iiow of liquids through said ports elfects rotation of saidvalve member to periodically interrupt the flow of the combustible andoxidizing liquids and to simultaneously provide flow of the inertliquid,

ESTHER C. GODDARD, Eecutria: of the Last Will and Testament 0f Robert H.Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Blaisdell Nov. 14, 1911Number

